It's Saturday! And we are at the end of our second week of field research in Siem Reap. It's been good to be back in the city and already have a little bit of orientation to where we are going and what we are doing. Our work here, as I have mentioned before, is an exploratory study of boys and young men working in the "massage" industry. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Siem Reap is a major tourist destination in Cambodia. This is mainly due to its proximity to the ancient Angkor Wat temples which spread out for miles just northeast of here. The small city draws backpackers, adventurers and general-issue tourists from all over Europe, the US, Asia and the Pacific--something which has made this otherwise small, scenic city a kind of thriving commercial center in the middle of the Cambodian outback.
The downtown area, which runs alongside of a small river, is jam-packed with bars, restaurants, night markets, and just about anything else that will make a buck. One of the first things that you are likely to notice upon arrival in Siem Reap is the constant, diverse, and sometimes nagging presence of massage options. They are literally everywhere. Foot massage, back massage, hand massage, four-hand massage (whatever that means), and yes, even fish massage--for those of us who enjoy having our dead foot-skin harvested by a swarm of ravenous fish.
The city is built upon foreign tourism and the money that comes from catering thrill-seekers from around the globe. Needless to say, the sex industry is booming, and massage is oftentimes just another front for these kinds of services. Although, "male for males" (M4M) services can be found everywhere, they are not always apparent at first glance. This is partly due to the stigma and shame that is attached to men in the sensual/sexual services trade. Still, there are a number of options that are openly advertised for LGBT tourists in the line of guesthouses, saunas, spas, and of course massage services.
Our first week of fieldwork involved a great deal of walking, listening, and observation. We conducted interviews in a few of the places that overtly advertised male massage services, listened to stories, asked questions and took notes. Through this, we were able to talk to people involved in the industry and get a few clues of where else to find respondents. Each contact and conversation was like another piece of a big puzzle that would eventually help us to better understand the situation and needs of the young men involved in this industry. It was an informative week, and we were able to meet a number of insiders who helped orient us to the industry and social networks.
As I said, this first week involved a number of the solely male, overtly LGBT establishments. For the most part, the data collection was easy. We made phone calls, and appointments. The interviews were conducted. Data gathered. Job done.
However, as we are starting our fieldwork anew on this second visit, our task has been a bit more challenging. We have been turning our focus to the less overt, mixed massage establishments which feature both male and female masseurs. The social atmosphere in these places has been quite different. There have been a number of places in which the air of unease has been almost palatable. We are quickly realizing that we are having to spend more time building rapport and nurturing trust. This takes time and requires a more immersive approach. Its more difficult, but the process is entirely worth it.
There's so much beauty here. So much goodness. So much truth. It just might not be clearly visible at first glance. But as it usually goes: the best and most valuable things are not found on the surface level, but just below.
Of course, there's much more to be said about this--good things, even holy things--particularly about beauty in brokenness, and finding God in places that you would least expect to find him.
But those are thoughts for another post.
